The Marino men have been tasked with taking down Ciaran Kilkenny and Castleknock in the first knockout round, while last year's beaten finalists Kickhams will have their hands full with an experienced St Jude's side.

Ballyboden have been drawn against Na Fianna, while the fourth quarter-final sees Kilmacud Crokes take on St Sylvester's.

Boden were made to work for their progression, mind, after drawing 0-13 to 2-07 with St Oliver Plunkett's/ER at Parnell Park in a scrappy affair on Friday night.

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But a Plunkett's result in the other game could also send them through, so they played containment football, looking to strike a wounded Crokes on the break.

They lacked much of an attacking threat for the entire seventy minutes. Sideways passing became the otder of the day without any incisiveness. Brian Fenton knocked over two points but he was driving with no support for much of the tie.

Crokes hit the front at half time, Mark Vaughan getting his name on the scoresheet as they led 0-4 to 0-2, and they stretched the lead to 0-7 to 0-3 through Paul Mannion, but ultimately never needed to ramp up any intensity.

It was a poor display, highlighting the lack of strength in depth of a Raheny side once touted as the coming force in Dublin not too long ago.

They played for a result, hoping to hang on and sneak through if the other game went their way. Balgriffin grew tense once news filtered through of Plunkett's hitting the front, which could have sent Raheny through to a quarter-final.

But it was ultimately for nought. They do avoid the dreaded play-offs, but it was not a game that will live long in the memory whatsoever.

Nor was it an afternoon to remember from Na Fianna on Saturday, as a virtuoso Stephen Smith performance saw Skerries Harps earn a commendable 1-12 1-12 draw.

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Harps aimed to monopolise the ball, with Bryan Cullen left behind to sweep, and the former Dublin captain rolled back the years with a phenomenal defensive display.

It was all about Smith in attack though, who had a hand in 0-6 of Harps' first half 0-8 - scoring 0-5 and assisting 0-1 all while under the cosh of Jonny Cooper's intense man-marking.

Cooper may have put in a heroic performance for Dublin in the All-Ireland Final, but he wasn't a match on this day for Smith, who twisted and turned around the inter-county star and drove Harps on with some sublime finishing.

Curiously - perhaps with an overly-cautious eye on potential injuries ahead of the quarter-finals - Na Fianna left several of their top attackers, including Glenn O'Reilly, James Doran, Al Fitzgerald, and Aaron Byrne, on the bench.

It was no surprise then when they came on in the second half that they ran amok - Byrne in particular, who netted a penalty to cancel out a Smith goal.

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Doran looked to have won the game for Na Fianna, but a frantic late game exchange saw Skerries knock over an equalising before Cooper was dismissed for a second yellow card, but a late push came to nothing for Skerries who couldn't snatch the win at the end.

Vincent's flew through in the other tie, as Cormac Diamond, Enda Varley, and a brace from Adam Baxter saw them blow out play-offs bound Lucan Sarsfields 4-19 to 0-13.

The big story from that game didn't even take place on the pitch, as Diarmuid Connolly was spotted in the Crumlin GAA clubhouse encouraging his side from the sidelines after his return from his American sojourn.

Groups 3 and 4 played off on Sunday in dead rubbers for qualification.

St Sylvester's raced into a 1-6 to 0-0 lead over a sleepy St Jude's as Jack Hazley had his way at full-forward.

Billy Sheehan inspired Jude's back to within four points at half time, but an Alex Wright strike saw the Malahide men over the line 2-14 to 1-11.

Castleknock and Ballymun Kickhams played out a much more even tie, ultimately decided by a single goal. Both sides tagged on a rake of early points in an enjoyable game, but a Dean Rock goal had Kickhams up 1-7 to 0-7 at the break.

The two sides stayed even in the second half as Ballymun ran out 2-13 to 1-13 winners.

For Ballinteer St John's, Parnell's, St Brigid's, and Clontarf, meanwhile, it was in essence relegation play-off weekend come early, with the losers of those two ties heading for the potential drop - and comfortable wins for BSJ and Brigid's respectively puts Parnell's and Clontarf at risk.